Wire frame centrifuge

ABSTRACT

This specification discloses a centrifuge comprising a wire frame which is mounted for rotation on a vertical axis and a plurality of angularly spaced pendulous buckets which are swingingly supported by the frame, with each bucket including a bottom wall or tray which assumes a horizontal position when the centrifuge is motionless but which is swung out into a vertical position when the centrifuge reaches a predetermined rate of rotation. A rack containing a plurality of cuvettes may be removably positioned in each bucket.

Paulsen Mar. 25, 11975 I 1 WIRE FRAME CENTRIFUGE [75] Inventor: W. Charles Paulsen, Newtown,

Conn.

[73] Assignee: E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Wilmington, Del.

3,454,2l7 7/1969 Harbott 233/26 3,602,37l 8/1971 Weiner 211/74 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 737,76l 9/1955 United Kingdom 233/26 Primary Examiner-George H. Kriizmanich [22] Filed: May 1973 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Eric P. Schellin [21] Appl. No.1 361,410

[57] ABSTRACT [52] US. Cl. 233/26 Thi pecification discloses a centrifuge comprising a [5 I] Int. Cl. B04b 9/12 wire frame which is mounted for rotation on a vertical [58] FleId 0f Search .1 233/26, 27, 28, l R axi and a plurality of angularly spaced pendulous buckets which are swingingly supported by the frame, [56] References Clt with each bucket including a bottom wall or tray UNITED STATES PATENTS which assumes a horizontal position when the centri- 734725 7/1903 Luther 233/26 iiige is motionless but which is swung Out-into veni- 742759 10/1903 Valerius 233/26 Cal Position when the Centrifuge reaches a predeter- 998,529 7/1911 Kemham 233/26 X mined rate'of rotation, A rack containing a plurality of 1,334,109 3/1920 Mojonnier 1 1 v. 233/26 cuvettes may be removably positioned in each bucket. 1,713,579 5/1929 Wightman 233/26 1,769,889 7/1930 McClaran et al. 233/26 6 Clams, 4 Drawing Figures BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION At the present time, it is common practice to place a quantity of a material to be centrifuged in a cuvette. A plurality of these curvettes are assembled in a rack, and the rack is placed in a centrifuge. For the materials to be properly subjected to the centrifugal action of the centrifuge, it is essential that the'cuvettes which contain them assume a position normal to the axis of rotation. Thus, if the axis of rotation is vertical, the cuvettes must assume horizontal positions. Considerable difficulty has been experienced in placing the racks in the centrifuge and removing them therefrom. The present invention is founded on the concept of providing a centrifuge including pendulous buckets having bottom walls or trays which receive racks containing cuvettes, with the Iatter'in vertical position. When the centrifuge is rotated and reaches a predetermined rate of speed, the trays move from horizontal to vertical positions and the cuvettes assume horizontal positions.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION With the foregoing conditions in mind, the present invention has in view the following objectives:

1. To provide a centrifuge comprising a wire frame including a hub that receives a vertical drive shaft and from which radiate a plurality of arms from which are swingingly suspended a plurality of angularly spaced buckets.

2. To provide, in a centrifuge of the type noted, a

wire frame including a plurality of angularly spaced arms with each arm comprising two pairs of wires in vertically spaced relation, with the arms of each pair being horizontally spaced.

3. To provide, in a wire frame centrifuge of the character aforesaid, radial arms, each of which has outwardly flared end portions, each of which terminates in a bight that receives a trunnion.

4. To provide, in a wire frame centrifuge of the kind described, links which connect adjacent trunnions;

5. To provide, in, awire frame centrifuge of the type noted, pendulous buckets which are'swingingly suspended by the trunnions of the end portions of adjacent arms. I

6. Toprovide, in a wire frame centrifuge of the character aforesaid, a plurality of pendulous buckets, each comprising a bottom wall or tray from which upstand side walls that are swingably connected to trunnions and end flanges.

Variousjothermoredetailed objects and advantages of the invention, such as arise in connection with carrying out the above ideas in a pracitical embodiment, will, in part, become apparent and, in part, be hereafter stated as the description of the invention proceeds.

I SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The foregoing objects are achieved by-providing a centrifuge comprising a wire frame comprising a central hub which drivably receives a vertical drive shaft and from which radiate a plurality of angularly spaced arms with each arm consisting of two pairs of vertically spaced wires and the wires of each pair horizontally spaced. The vertically spaced wires of each pair include end portions in diverging or flared relation with each end portion terminating in a bight which integrally joins the wires of that pair. A trunnion is received in each bight and a link connects the trunnion on an end portion of one arm with a trunnion on an end portin of the same arm. A pendulous bucket is swingingly supported between a pair of trunnion, one on one arm and one on the adjacent arm. Each bucket comprises a substantially flat bottom or tray having side walls integral therewith, the upper end portions of which receive the trunnions and end flanges. Strength and rigidity is added to the bottom and sidewalls by deforming the materials thereof to form grooves on one face and ribs on the opposed face.

In operation, with the centrifuge motionless, the bottom walls of-the buckets assume horizontal positions in which racks containing cuvettes may be readily positioned therein or removed therefrom. In this condition, the cuvettes are vertical. When rotation of the centrifuge reaches a predetermined rate, the buckets will have been swung into a position in which the trays are vertical and the cuvettes are horizontal.

For a full and more complete understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following description and the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a wire frame centrifuge embodying the precepts of this'invention;

FIG. 2 is a detailed side elevation of a bucket with a trunnion shown in section and is taken on the plane represented by the lines 2-2 of FIG. I. and also illustrating an adjusted position of the bucket in phantom;

FIG. 3 is a perspective illustrating a portion of the wire frame and one bucket, and

FIG. 4 is a vertical section through the hub along line 44 of FIG. 3 showing a pair of arms which radiate therefrom diametrically and illustrating one bucket with the tray thereof in vertical position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference characters denote I corresponding elements throughout the several views, and first to FIG. I, a hub is shown at 10 and includes a bore 11 which drivably receives a spindle 12 at the end of a vertical drive shaft 13 (FIG. 4). Hub 10 includes a base 14 which presents a shoulder 15 as depicted in FIG. -4. A wire frame is referred to in its entirety by the reference character 16 and includes a plurality of arms which radiate from hub 10 in equi-angularly spaced relation. In the embodiment illustrated in the drawings herein described, there are four of these arms which are designated generally at 17, 18, 19 and 20.

Arm 17 comprises an upper pair of wires 21 and 22 and a lower pair of wires, one of which is shown at 23. These pairs are vertically spaced. The wires 21 and 22 are spaced horizontally as are thewires 23. Upper wires 21 and 22of arm 17 encircle part of hub 10 and extend in the opposite radial direction to form arm 19 which is a mirror image of arm 17. From FIG. 4 it will be seen that at'bend 24 the wires of arm 17 bend in a direction to arcuately encircle an arc portion of the hub. It will be seen that the wires are deformed to be complementary when encircling the hub.

Wire 21 includes an inner portion in the form of a bend 24 portiond which is secured to hub 10 in any preferred manner as by soldering 'or welding. From bend 24, wire 21 extends radially outwardly to a ring 25 to which it is anchored as by soldering or welding as can be seen from FIG. 3. Outwardly of ring 25, wire 21 is U bent from its radial disposition to provide a diverging length 26 that is directed towards arm 20 for instance. At its outer end wire 26 is bent downwardly to form a bight 27 which a diverging length of a wire 23 is integrally joined. This wire length is designated 28.

Lower wire 23 is anchored to ring 25 and at its central portion is formed with a bend 29 that is secured to hub immediately above shoulder From bend 29, a lower wire 23 of arm 19 extends radially outwardly to another ring 25 included in arm 19 as seen in FIG. 1. integrally joined to the outer end of this wire 23 is a diverging length (not shown) corresponding to wire 28 of arm 17. This wire length is bent upwardly at its outer end to form a bight similar to bight 27 and from which extends inwardly a diverging wire length 31 which corresponds to the diverging wire 26 of arm 17. Wire length 31 is an extension of wire 21 of arm 17.

It is evident that one piece of wire may thus be fashioned into the shape providing upper wire 21 of arm 17, diverging wire 26, bight 27, diverging wire 28, wire 23, bend 29, wire 23 of arm 19, diverging wire of arm 19, a bight 27 of arm 19, divering wire 31 ofarm 19 and upper wire 21 of arm 19 which is integrally joined to wire 21 of arm 17 by bend 24. It will be understood that another piece of wire may be similarly fashioned to form corresponding elements of the other arms.

Mounted in each of the bights 27 is a trunnion 32 having an enlarged head 33. Adjacent trunnions 32 are connected by a pair of links 34 and 35, each having an inturned end portion 36 which is received in a recess in the enlarged head 33. Thus, a pair of links 34 and extend etween the trunnions of each of the arms 17, 18, I9 and 20. g

A bucket is identified in its entirety by the reference character 37; It will be understood that there are four such buckets as illustrated in FIG. 1 and each of these buckets is pendulously mounted for swinging movement between the trunnion of one of the arms and the trunnion of'an adjacent arm. Referring to FIG. 1, bucket 37 which may be made of any appropriate material, with sheet metal being indicated as the preferred material, includes a bottom or tray38 of generally rectangular shape having upturned end flanges 39 and 40. Integral with bottom 38 and extending upwardly from the side edges are side walls 41 and 42. These walls are of trapezoidal shape presenting upper edges which are shorter than the side edges of bottom 38. The metal of each side wall is bent back on itself to form a bead 43 and an end portion 44 which is secured to the respec- OPERATION While the manner in which the subject wire frames centrifuge operates is believed to be obvious from the illustrations of thedrawings and description of parts set forth above, it is briefly outlined as follows:

With the centrifuge motionless, buckets 37 assume the positions illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3 and in full lines in FIG. 2. In this position, each tray is readily adapted to have a rack containing a plurality of cuvettes positioned therein (not shown) with the racks resting on bottom 38 and received between end flanges 39 and 40 and side walls 41 and 42. As the hub 10 is rotated from an appropriate power source, the wire frame which is secured thereto also rotates. This generates centrifugal force which causes the buckets 37 to be swung outwardly into the broken line position of FIG. 2 in which the bottoms 38 thereof are substantially vertical. This causes the cuvettes to assume positions in which their longitudinal axes are normal to the axis of rotation.

It is evident that this arrangement of the buckets when stationary affords maximum convenience in positioning racks therein and removing racks therefrom.

While a preferred specific embodiment is herein disclosed, it is to be clearly understood that the invention is not to be limited to the exact construction, mechanisms and devices illustrated and described because various modifications of these details may be provided in putting the invention into practice.

What is claimed is:

l. A wire frame centrifuge comprising: 3

a. a hub having a vertical bore for receiving a vertical drive shaft in driving relation thereto;

b. a wire frame drivably connected to said hub and comprising a plurality of angularly spaced generally coplanar radial arms, and each of said arms comprises two pairs of vertically spaced wires, with wires of each pair being horizontally and generally coplanarly spaced;

c. a pair of horizontally displaced trunnions carried by each of said arms at the outer ends thereof;

d. a straight link means in each arm connecting each of the trunnions of each pair of each of said arms, and

e. a plurality of pendulous buckets corresponding in number to the number of said arms, with each bucket being suspended from the trunnion of one arm and the trunnion of an adjacent arm, each of said buckets having a bottom and which bottom assumes a horizontal position when said centrifuge is motionless.

2. The wire frame centrifuge of claim 1 in which a wire of each pair is joined to a wire of the other pair by a bight and one of said trunnions is received in said bight.

3. The wire frame centrifuge of claim 2 in which the wires of each arm have outwardly diverging end portions in flared relation.

4. The wire frame centrifuge of claim 1 in which the bottom of each of said buckets includes upwardly turned end flanges and side walls extending upwardly from the side edges of the bottom.

5. The wire frame centrifuge of claim 4 in which the bottom and side walls of each bucket are deformed to provide reinforcing ribs and groovestherein.

6. The wire frame centrifuge of claim 1 in which each of said trunnions has an enlarged head and said straight link means include a pair of links between each of the trunnions of each pair of adjacent trunnions, with each link having a turned end received in a recess in a trun 

1. A wire frame centrifuge comprising: a. a hub having a vertical bore for receiving a vertical drive shaft in driving relation thereto; b. a wire frame drivably connected to said hub and comprising a plurality of angularly spaced generally coplanar radial arms, and each of said arms comprises two pairs of vertically spaced wires, with wires of each pair being horizontally and generally coplanarly spaced; c. a pair of horizontally displaced trunnions carried by each of said arms at the outer ends thereof; d. a straight link means in each arm connecting each of the trunnions of each pair of each of said arms, and e. a plurality of pendulous buckets corresponding in number to the number of said arms, with each bucket being suspended from the trunnion of one arm and the trunnion of an adjacent arm, each of said buckets having a bottom and which bottom assumes a horizontal position when said centrifuge is motionless.
 2. The wire frame centrifuge of claim 1 in which a wire of each pair is joined to a wire of the other pair by a bight and one of said trunnions is received in said bight.
 3. The wire frame centrifuge of claim 2 in which the wires of each arm have outwardly diverging end portions in flared relation.
 4. The wire frame centrifuge of claim 1 in which the bottom of each of said buckets includes upwardly turned end flanges and side walls extending upwardly from the side edges of the bottom.
 5. The wire frame centrifuge of claim 4 in which the bottom and side walls of each bucket are deformed to provide reinforcing ribs and grooves therein.
 6. The wire frame centrifuge of claim 1 in which each of said trunnions has an enlarged head and said straight link means include a pair of links between each of the trunnions of each pair of adjacent trunnions, with each link having a turned end received in a recess in a trunnion. 